How could I let him have his way?
The flash of a blade appeared, and I was already behind him.
"Thud!"
Blood splattered.
Xie Wu Li clutched his neck, disbelief in his eyes as he fell.
Seeing their master dead, the Southern Border Sorcerer let out a strange cry and transformed into a cloud of black mist, attempting to escape.
I was prepared; with a swift motion, I slashed my knife, and the blade's energy sliced through the air, scattering the black mist.
The sorcerer emitted a chilling scream as he fell to the ground, convulsing a few times before going still.
From his body fell a small bamboo tube.
I picked it up and opened it, taking a whiff. Inside was black powder with a faintly sweet and metallic scent.
It should be the antidote.
With the mastermind dead, the remaining lackeys scattered like birds and beasts.
A sudden ambush was dismantled by me alone.
The entire lobby of the inn was in disarray, blood flowing like a river.
Holding the still-dripping knife, I stood amidst the corpses, my expression unchanged.
Xie Wuyuan's life was saved.
With the antidote and my golden needle technique to unblock his acupoints, the deadly poison in his body was quickly eliminated. He remained weak, but his life was no longer in danger.
Liu Mingyue was overwhelmed with gratitude towards me; her previous hostility had vanished without a trace. She even offered to relinquish her position as the main wife to me.
I merely smiled, neither agreeing nor refusing.
When Xie Wuyuan awoke, the first thing he did was seek me out.
He dismissed everyone else, including Liu Mingyue.
Only the two of us remained in the room.
He gazed at me intently, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
"Yan Er," he said hoarsely, "thank you."
"No need to thank me. The consultation fee is one thousand taels, and the antidote is a complimentary gift," I replied flatly.
"Yan Er," he grasped my hand, his eyes earnest, "I know I was a jerk before! I'm not asking you to forgive me right away! I just ask for another chance!"
"I will handle things with Liu Mingyue. I will petition His Majesty to annul her position, then carry you in a grand sedan chair, publicly marrying you as the only mistress of the Yongning Marquis Residence!"
"Let's start over, shall we? Forget all the unpleasantness from before; let’s be like we were in Qingfeng Village."
I listened quietly until he finished, then gently pulled my hand away.
"Xie Wuyuan," I looked at him, "do you really think that granting me the title of Noble House Madam is a tremendous favor? That it’s the best compensation for me?"
He was taken aback. "Isn't it?"
"No." I shook my head. "To me, the position of Noble House Madam is no different from the Noble Concubine position you promised back then."
"They're all just different cages."
"I, Su Yan," I stood up and walked to the window, pushing it open to let in the fresh air, "am used to galloping through the rivers and lakes, relishing in friendships and rivalries. I can't stand the scheming and deceit in your highborn households."
"I used to be foolish, thinking that love could quench thirst. Now I understand that relying on mountains can lead to their collapse, relying on people can lead to their departure; only the knife in my own hand is truly reliable."
"You..." He looked at me, his gaze dimming little by little. "Do you really feel no affection for me at all?"
"There was some," I turned to meet his gaze. "But that was for A Ying. It’s not for Yongning Marquis Heir or for the current Yongning Marquis."
"As for now," I smiled slightly, "Xie Houye, between us remains only the consultation fee of one thousand taels."
His face turned pale, his lips trembled as he struggled to speak.
"Take good care of yourself," I glanced back at him one last time. "Just send the money to the Yue Lai Inn. Farewell."
With that, I turned and strode away.
This time, I left decisively, without any lingering attachments.
Outside, the sun shone brightly.
Spring in Jiangnan was vibrant and full of life.
My journey is still long.
I straightened my clothes, determined my direction, and with a few graceful leaps, I vanished into the bustling streets of Suzhou City.
Everything behind me no longer mattered.
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